Cherished Friend

In April 2025, several People & Stories/Gente y Cuentos coordinators were invited to participate in a "Literacy night" at Greenwood Elementary School in Hamilton, NJ.

In conversation afterward, Greenwood’s principal Dr. Nicole Dickens-Simon and I began imagining a different kind of afterschool opportunity for parents - particularly newer immigrant parents who didn't have opportunities to meet - to gather around short stories, conversation, and connection - through our Gente y Cuentos program.

Led by wonderfully talented People & Stories/Gente y Cuentos coordinator Ana M., the group met for eight weeks to read and discuss stories and poems in Spanish, many drawn from participants’ native countries and cultural traditions. While parents participated, their children were cared for nearby in a welcoming and supportive environment.

The first two weeks - word of mouth traveled. Over time, trust deepened, conversations grew richer, and more participants attended - people who had not known one another began forming genuine connections.

Participants shared:

“Now I look forward to attending every Wednesday, because it is my time when I do not have to think about anything else but the story we will read.”

“We discuss different topics, exchange opinions, and share experiences without being judged.”

“It has been a long time since I read literature… Here, I don’t have to think about anything but the story we’re going to read.”

“I have discovered how much one can learn from reading with others. It is not just reading a story, but truly enjoying and interpreting it.”

One teacher remarked how meaningful it was to see one of the shyest participants begin speaking openly with other parents for the first time.

Ana M. reflected on the warmth and collaboration that helped the program flourish. She shared how supportive Dr. Dickens-Simon and the site coordinator were throughout the eight weeks, and how each Wednesday a kind teacher cared for the children nearby while parents participated fully in the sessions. On several occasions, school staff even joined the session.

What began quietly over eight weeks became a space of trust, reflection, open discussion, laughter, and belonging.

We hope to return to Greenwood Elementary School this fall to continue building community through literature. If you'd like to know more about this afterschool program, or other opportunities to bring People & Stories/Gente y Cuentos to your school, organization, or community, please email me - debra@peopleandstories.org - I look forward to hearing from you.

With many warm hugs,

Debra

Debra Lampert-Rudman, M.Ed.

Executive Director

People & Stories/Gente y Cuentos

P.S. You are warmly invited to sit in and experience a People & Stories circle for yourself. Join us at an upcoming “Try It” or “Crossing Borders” session in Princeton or Trenton—details and registration available here: https://www.peopleandstories.org/upcoming-events